The following set of activities was designed for my intermediate level students at E.O.I. Aviles. While some of the tasks are quite easy, others are more challenging. As all of you have guessed by now, they are dedicated to the U.S.A. You can improve your English as well as your knowledge of the States at the same time.
This section is dedicated to all your beloved little devils : your children , your younger brothers and sisters, your nieces and nephews , etc.
I wish a merry Christmas for all of us and lots of nice surprises for next year.
In this moving Chrismas carol , the true spirit of Christmas is revealed when an orphan witnesses the birth of baby Jesus, and gives the only gift he can – a song. With its simple message that the best gift is one given from the heart, this story exemplifies the true spirit of Christmas.
Aunque estemos ya fuera de plazo, todavía se pueden entregar solicitudes de preinscripción en la secretaría del centro
Huw is one of the main characters in "Two Lives", by Helen Naylor.
Dear Paul,
I’m going to be honest: I finally have decided to marry Huw. You are one of the most wonderful men I’ve ever meet and I’m sure that you would be a great husband for me. In fact, we'd probably marry if all the things that have happened in the last moths hadn’t happened. But now that Huw is again in my life, I must listen to my heart. Life has given us a second chance and I can’t let him go away.
I only can say one thing: I’m sorry.
My dear Paul,
I'm writing this letter because I can't marry you
I have realised that I still love Huw. We have met again after fifty years and my feelings towards him are the same as when I was sixteen.
You are a good man and I am sure you will find another good woman.
Dear Paul,
Dear Paul,
Author: Captain Frederick Marryat
Simplified ... by Michael West
Edited: London : Longman, 1976
Genre: Adventure
Level: Pre-intermediate
The Setting:
The CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST is a historical novel originally written for young people, by Captain Frederick Marryat and published for the first time in 1847. This book is a brief and simplified version of the original work.
The story takes place during the English Civil War (1642–1651) when the disputes between the Parliament and King Charles II ended with the rise of the puritans that were led by Cronwel. The Puritans were known as Round Heads due to the form of their hats.
King Charles was defeated and then executed by the rebels. Cronwel was made Lord Protector and Englan turned into a republican Commonwealth. Under his dictatorship, from then on, he initiated an implacable and cruel persecution of all his enemies: the suspects of loyalty to the King, the Catholics, the Scottish and the Irish people.
The New Forest, situated in the south of England, was and still remains , a Royal Forest, it has been used by the kings to go hunting. Nowadays it is a National Park.
The Plot:
Colonel Beverley, who died in the battle of Naseby, was loyal to the King. When the Rounds Heads burned their mansion in the New Forest, his orphaned children escaped a certain death, thanks to a loyal servant, an elderly forest guard. Pretending they were his own grandsons, the forest guard was able to protect the children's lives. In addition, the children, two boys and two girls, discover a new life in the forest and how to do things by themselves
The story continues with diverse vicissitudes and adventures throughout the history of England in those days, until the moment the Restoration by King Charkes III takes place 9 years later. The children, already adults, will recover then their family estate.
Conclusion:
In my opinion the novel is quite easy to read. I think the reading is pleasant and interesting since it hooks the reader until the end, at least to anyone who likes the historical novel. Although it is a brief version, the author's message remains clear enough He tries to instill the children in the Victorian era, values such as honor, loyalty and the spirit of self-sacrifice.
In short, it is an enjoyable novel, I recommend it.
Review by José María Yáñez
(2nd year basic level)
Title: David Copperfield
Author: Charles Dickens
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Macmillan
Level: Intermediate
Brief summary of the plot:
David Coperfield was born in
David began do worse in his studies, and Mr. Murdstone argued with him all the time. One day, David bit him, and Mr. Murdstone decided to send David to Salem-house.
When David’s mother died, he had to return to his house, and Mr. Murdstone sent him to a factory, in
Personal opinion:
People who like novels like “Oliver Twist”will like this book. It is a highly entertaining read: the prominent figures appear and disappear constantly, this way you will not get bored while reading it. It is a great and heart warming book. I definitely recommend that you add this to your collection!
THE CALL OF THE WILD
JACK LONDON
Jack London was an American writer born in San Francisco in 1876. Towards 1897 he traveled to Alaska driven by the gold rush, this trip inspired many of his works, such as “White Fang”, which became a movie , and “The call of the wild” whose plot is about the return of a civilized being to their original state and fighting for survival.
“The Call of the Wild” is a story of a dog called Buck, who´s kidnapped and sold as a sled dog in Alaska. Buck has to learn to survive in the lands of Alaska, which are new and unknown lands to him. During his trip Buck has several masters, but of them all, the one who wins Buck´s love and loyalty is John Thornton. Another character in the book is about a wolf that represents the call of the wild. Buck has to decide whether to continue with Thornton or answer the call of the wild.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it´s a really entertaining read. I really liked the story, although it has scenes of violence and cruel struggle but I think this makes it more realistic, since it´s set in a harsh environment for both dog and man.
Book review by Olaya Cachero Villaverde
1º D Intermediate Level
'The Sugar Glider' (by Rod Nielsen) is an exciting adventure book set in Australia.
In this story, a pilot called Don comes back to that country in order to spend more time with his daughter and see his ex-wife.
However, when he arrives, Paul, a friend, offers him a suspicious job: to fly a mysterious cargo from Brisbane to Melbourne. But the plane has a defect and crashes, killing Paul. After that, they will have to fight to survive in the hottest part of Australia. Don discovers that it wasn’t an accident and what they really were carrying was Uranium. So he starts to think that this was not a job for the Government and tries to return to Brisbane, where he finally meets his ex-wife and her new lover, who is a selfish and wealthy businessman.
The main characters are:
I believe that this book is worth reading because it is impossible to put it down. I enjoyed it very much, although it is sometimes a bit predictable.
My favorite chapter in this book is Accident because it describes in a very moving way Paul‘s tragic death. It is curious the way the writer expresses the character’s feelings and makes his readers get so involved with their situations.
This story reminds me of a civil war (due to all those problems related to the Murri people who demonstrated against the government ), family love (because ,despite the disadvantages, Don and his daughter keep together loving each other) and the power of truth (when Forsha’s partner realizes he’s not the honest man he pretends to be in front of her).
